ASPHALT ANSWERS
anything because in today’s world of
fast communication, the consumer is
king! So let’s look at a few of the things
you should be learning about your local
dealer.
It’s 100% about the relationship.
“If we lose a deal, it’s only because
somebody else gave the customer
something we didn’t.”
As I heard a sales manager at a top
dealer say, “If we lose a deal, it’s only be-
cause somebody else gave the customer
something we didn’t.” It may sound
simple or cliché, but think about it,
what are you looking for when you buy
a piece of equipment? The easy answer
is “I want the best price.” But would
you be surprised that when surveyed,
equipment owners ranked acquisition
price as 7th most important factor in
their decision? The top factor? The
personal relationship with the equip-
ment dealer. This relationship goes far
beyond an occasional lunch or hats on
the jobsite, it’s the intimate knowledge
the local dealer has about the local con-
struction climate. When a dealer can sit
with the contractor and become a part-
ner instead of a means to an end, then
you’ve got something special. The next
time your dealer representative drops
by, take some time to discuss what you
have going on and see if they are prop-
erly equipped to provide the best solu-
tion. When you form this relationship,
both sides profit, the contractor because
of higher efficient machines and lower
downtime and the dealer because of re-
peat sales.
Service after the sale.
As we have all heard, “The sales de-
partment sells the first unit, but product
support sells the rest.” This is especial-
ly true in today’s asphalt environment.
When a part of the paving train goes
down, the clock is ticking. As equip-
ment manufacturers, we judge our deal-
erships on parts stocking, fill rates and
above all, customer satisfaction. To that
end, the equipment dealer is constant-
ly monitoring stocking levels to insure
that if you need a part that could take
down a paving job, that part can be
sourced quickly and painlessly. Make
no mistake, however, dealers also hold
manufacturers to a high standard so
they can adequately service the market.
As an equipment operator, it is impera-
tive that if you find that your dealership
isn’t stocking a particular item that you
consider critical, bring it to their atten-
tion. This doesn’t have to be big items
like screed plates or auger flights, it can
be something as boring as DEF or even
your favorite release agent. Your time
is critical and the dealer knows that if
you have to waste time searching for an
item, you’ll stop searching at his store.
For More Information On This Advertiser Please Visit www.CallAPE.com/e-inquiry
www.callape.com
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1.800.210.5923